In an effort to strengthen community engagement efforts, the Newark Police Department, in partnership with McDonald's, will host Coffee with a Cop on Wednesday, October 11, from 9 - 11 a.m. at the McDonald's located at 374 E. Main Street. The police department will have representatives from various units, including: Traffic, Patrol, Special Operations (community policing unit), Criminal Investigations (detectives), and Administration (crime prevention/crime analysis).

"The majority of interactions between law enforcement and the public occurs during emergency or high stress situations," explains Police Chief Paul Tiernan. "Those encounters are not always the most effective times for relationship building and some community members may be hesitant to approach officers on the street.

"This is an opportunity for the community to get to know the men and women of our police department in a relaxed, welcoming environment. We hope residents join us, share any questions or concerns they may have, and get to know our officers."

 The goal of the program is to advance community policing by building relationships between community members and police that may not otherwise have been established. It will allow for relaxed, one-on-one interactions between officers and the residents they serve. Please contact Lieutenant Fred Nelson with questions: FNelson@newark.de.us or (302)366-7100 ext. 3119.